This Tuesday, FC Porto lost to Roma (2-1), in Italy, for the first leg of the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, but Sérgio Conceição is still confident. The blue and white coach stated the tie would have been the fair result, given the performance of both teams, and revealed he is fully convinced the Dragons will qualify to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The second leg is scheduled for March 6, at Estádio do Dragão.

Round is open
“We are halfway through the round. We faced a solid team that comes from an extremely competitive championship. In terms of defence, both teams countered each other’s weapons, in the first-half. In the second, there was a situation with Danilo in a corner-kick, and then we conceded a goal that came in the best period for the team. We reacted, then they scored the second goal, but we always aimed for goal. Our team has character, personality. We now have 90 more minutes at home, as the goal relaunched the fight and the tie would have been the fair result, for what reach team did. We want to keep the same solidity, but be more incisive in the last third.”

Message to the players in the end
“What I’ve been seeing is that, when we increase the intensity of the match, no team is comfortable with that, I’ve seen none so far. We are aware that we are a strong team, not the best in the world, but one of the most competitive, of that I’m sure. My belief is that if we are at the same level as in other moments, all will be fine. I am certain we will qualify to the next round and that’s what I told them.”

Brahimi’s injury
“We still don’t know enough about it.”